Container sealing device



March 12, 1957 c. H. BARR 2,7

CONTAINER SEALING DEVICE Filed 001:. 26, 1953 aaz/emqx/b A4 6999,

INVENTIOR.

g A w g 2,784,543 CONTAINER SEALING DEVICE Courtland Hiiyard Barr, Los Angeies, Califl, assignor to Courtland Laboratories, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California The invention relates to the sealing of containers and s particular reference to a device for applying a sealing cap to containers such as bottles and the like.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a novel device for applying a metallic sealing cap to containers such as bottles and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bottle sealing device which is extremely simple in construction and hence very inexpensive to manufacture on a quantity basis, yet which is highly effective in operation.

The device of this invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with the packaging of human blood p for later transfusional use, and will be so described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to this use.

The collection and preservation of human blood is carried out'by a large number of so-called blood banks. The blood from each donor is collected in individual blood collecting bottles having a rubber stopper, the bottles being supplied to the blood bank in sterile form ready for use, with a metallic sealing cap protecting the stoppered end of the bottle. When it is desired to use the bottle, the seal is broken and removed and the blood fed into the bottle through a tube extending through the stopper. After filling of the bottles they are stored for later use as needed, and it is necessary to recap or reseal the stoppered ends thereof in order to avoid contamination of or damage to the rubber stopper, by accident or by tampering. Presently available devices for sealing bottles of this type, while entirely adequate to perform the function for which they were designed, are too expensive to be practical for use by the many small blood banks. Accordingly, it is the present practice of the blood banks to apply to the filled bottles friction-type sealing caps which are not positively secured to the bottie and hence are liable to be accidentally or intentionally removed and replaced. Another important object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an extremely simple and inexpensive device for applying a permanent-type sealing cap to blood collecting bottles.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, it is believed, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view, illustrating a blood collecting bottle, a sealing cap therefor, and the sealing device of this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the sealing device of this invention, illustrated in place on the stoppered end of a blood collecting bottle.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating the device in operation.

Referring now to the drawings, the sealing device of this invention is generally designated and is shown as being designed for the application of a metallic sealing Patent ice cap 11 to the stoppered end of a blood collecting bottle of unit 12.

The unit 12 is of conventional form, having a neck portion 13, a flanged open end 14, a rubber stopper15 in the open end, a metallic, annular stopper retainer member 16 encompassing the flanged end 14, and a bail 17, or if desired the blood collecting unit may be of the type shown and described in c-o-pending application of Barr et al., Serial Number 339,998, filed March 3, 1953.

The sealing device 10 comprises a cylindrical body member 20 having an inside diameter only slightly larger than the outside diameter of these'aling cap 11, and an external knurled surface 21. An annular shoulder22 extends inwardly from the body member 20, providing means for retaining the device in position on the end of the bottle. A bore 25, having an axis perpendicular to the axis of the body member 20, extends through the body member, and slidably positioned in the bore is a crimping member 27 having a cylindrical body 128 and a spherical cap-contacting end portion 29. The member 27 is urged in an outward direction by means of a helical spring 30 extending between the body member 20 and a flange 32 on the end of the member 27. The member 27 is provided with a flat recess portion 34 in which is received a pin 35 which extends transversely of the bore 25. The ends 37 and 38 of the recess cooperate with the pin to limit slidable movement of the member 27 and toprevent disassembly thereof from the body mem' ber 20.

The sealing cap 11 is preferably of thin metal such as aluminum and is provided with a disk-shaped top 40 and a depending cylindrical skirt 41. It is to be noted that the skirt 41 is "sufliciently long to extend slightly below the cylindrical portion of the member 16. The top 40 is provided with a semi-circular cut 43, providing a tab 44.

In use of the device of this invention, after the bottle 12 is filled with whole human blood, the sealing cap 11 is placed in position over the end of the bottle as shown in Figure 2. The device 10 is then engaged over the cap as is also shown in Figure 2. With the device thus in position, the member 27 is depressed by application of finger pressure on the end thereof and simultaneously the device 10 rotated relative to the bottle. The spherical end portion 29 bears against the lower end of the cap skirt 41, crimping it as shown in Figure 3. After a relative rotation of 360 degrees the device 10 is removed, the sealing cap being rigidly secured to the bottle end, thus providing an accident and tamper-proof seal for the bottle. When it is desired to use the blood in the bottle 12, the seal 11 must be broken, by tearing or severing it, through use of the tab 44.

While a specific embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details of the construction set forth, and it embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A container sealing device, comprising a cylindrical I body member having a single transverse bore therein, a crimping member slidably carried in said bore, said crimping member having an end portion adapted to be extended into the interior of said body member and having another end portion extending outwardly of said body member, said latter end portion having a flange thereon, and means resiliently urging said crimping member in an outward direction relative to said body member.

2. A container sealing device, comprising a cylindrical body member having a single transverse bore therein, a crimping member slidably carried in said bore, said crimping member having an end portion adapted to be extended into the interior of said body member and having another end portion extending outwardly of said body member, said latter end portion having a flange thereon, means limiting slidable movement ofsaid crimping member, and means resiliently urging said crimping member in an outward direction relative to said body member.

3. A container sealing device, comprising a cylindrical body member having a single transverse bore therein, an annular shoulder extending inwardly from one end of said body member, a crimping member slidably carried in said bore, said crimping member having an end portion adapted to be extended into the interior of said body member and having another end portion extending outwardly of said body member, said latter end portion having a flange thereon, and means resilient-1y urging said crimping member in an outward direction relative to said body member.

4. A container sealing device, comprising a cylindrical body member having a single transverse bore therein, an annular shoulder extending inwardly from one end of said body member, a crimping member slidably carried in said bore, said crimping member having an end por- .tion adapted to be extended into the interior of said body member and having another end portion extending outwardly of said body member, said latter end portion having a flange thereon, means limiting slidable movement of said crimping member, and means resiliently urging said crimping member in an outward direction relative to said body member.

5. A container sealing device, comprising a cylindrical body member having a single transverse bore therein, an annular shoulder extending inwardly from one end of said body member, a crimping member slidably carried in said bore, said crimping member having a spherical end portion adapted to be extended into the interior of said body member and having another end portion exd tending outwardly of said body member, said latter end portion having a flange thereon, means limiting slidable movement of said crimping member, and means resiliently urging said crimping member in an outward direction relative to said body member.

6. A container sealing device, comprising a cylindrical body member having a transverse bore therein, a crimping member slidably carried in said bore, said crimping member having a transverse recess therein, said recess having ends, an end portion on said crimping member adapted to be extended into the interior of said body member, and a pin secured to said body member and extending into said recess, said pin cooperating with the ends of said recess to limit slidable movement of said crimping member.

7. A container sealing device, comprising a cylindrical body member having a transverse bore therein, an annular shoulder extending inwardly from one end of said body member, a crimping member slidably carried in said bore,

said crimping member having a transverse recess therein,

said recess having ends, a spherical end portion on said crimping member adapted to vbe extended into the interior of said body member, and a pin secured to said body References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 982,797 Conley Jan. 31, 1911 1,797,106 Sweeney Mar. 17, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Sept. 1, 1932 

